Is This Love?
by Laureanna Malfoy
Summary: A Love story between LMHG with a slight twist featuring SS.
1. Sent By Who?

As Hermione sat on the living room couch of her apartment Ron's voice kept pushing it's way into her thoughts.

"Geez Hermione! Don't you have a life outside of work?" Ron asked incredulously. "I mean come on! Get out of the office for once, and live on the edge like we used to."

Hermione looked up at Ron and at Harry, who had not spoken a word but instead was looking around at her cluttered office, and sighed.

"You both know that I have alot of work that needs to be done, and that I can't go gallavanting off and abandoning my job." Hermione said dejectedly while averting her gaze back down to the pile of paper work that still laid on her desk waiting to be read and filled out.

Hermione broke from her thoughts abruptly when she heard a knock at her frot door. Quickly standing to her feet and instinctively reaching for her wand she slowly made her way to the door and opened it a crack, just enough to be able to see who was standing in front of her door. She pocketed her wand and opened the door to the young man who was standing in front of her with a long box in his hands.

" Can I help you?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Are you Miss. Granger?"

"Why yes I am. Is there something the matter?"

"Oh no! I was just told to bring this package to a Miss. Granger with this address." He said while holding out the package for her to take.

Hermione took the package and began examining it for a clue as to who could have sent it. The young man had turned around once Hermione took the box and headed back towards the elevators before she had the chance to ask him who had sent it. Hermione shut the door and laid the package on the nearest table before saying a variety of incantaions to be assured that the contents of the package would not harm her.

Hermione stood above the box and began to unwrap it slowly. Inside were 6 beautiful red roses and a card that beared her name written in a beautiful flowing srawl. She grabbed the card and opened it to reveal a very short brief message.

_I hope that you enjoy these._

_Yours, truly,_

But there was no name only a picture of a family crest that looked oddly familiar to her but she was unable to recall where she had seen it before. Hermione set the card down next to the box and proceeded to pick up the flowers. She took the flowers to the kitchen and replaced her browning dead lilies with the roses after coming to the conclusion that she was thirsty, and decided to make herself a cup of tea.

Hermione turned towards the stove and grabbed a pot which she had previously used to boil water earlier that morning, filled it and placed it on the burner to boil. Once Hermione made herself a cup of tea she retreated back to the table that still held the empty box and card. She picked up the card once more and moved back to the couch which she had previously occupied before the mysterious package arrived. She gently lowered herself into a very relaxing sitting postion and began to ponder all of the possibilities as to who could have sent her the package and why. As she mulled through her thoughts she took pain-stakingly slow sips of her tea with one hand while mindlessly opening and closing the card that remained in her other hand.

Hermione's thoughts were once again interrupted by a rapping at her window, this time it was a beautiful brown owl that carried a letter tied to it's leg. She quickly set her tea down as she let the previous letter fall to the floor to be forgotten about as she stood and made her way to the window to let the owl in. Once the window was open the owl flew to the closest chair and impatiently stuck it's leg out for her to take the letter. Hermione smirked and rolled her eyes but walked over to the owl to remove the letter to find to her utter dismay that it was her employer asking, no, telling her to come into work that day. It was Friday and usually she had Friday's off but she wouldn't argue about it, instead she went to her bedroom closest and removed her set of work robes inot which she quickly changed. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and left the room, quickly grabbing her wand from her pants pocket that still remained on the bed.

As Hermione left her room she noticed the brown owl was still in it's place on the chair and staring at her indignantly as if waiting for something.

"Oh Honestly!" Hermione remarked as she laid her wand down on the nearest table and walked towards the kitchen to get something to pay the owl with. She opened her fridge and removed a piece of bacon off of her leftover plate from breakfast that morning and gave it to the owl who hooted with delight before taking it in it's beak and flying back out the window.

After Hermione watched the owl fly off she closed the window while muttering about the fact that owls were so impatient. She retraced her steps to the table on which her wand still laid and picked it up, feeling the delicate wood slide between her fingers, before apparating herself to the Ministry of Magic to begin another day of work.


	2. An Unexpected Encounter

_**An Unexpected Encounter**_

As Hermione appeared onto the main floor of the Ministry of Magic she noticed that it was even more busy than usual. She began to wonder why as she slowly made her way through the gathering crowd towards her office.

She finally made her way to her office door, finding to her utter disappointment that she was being called to the Wizengamots meeting that day, and, that it started in five minutes. She quickly turned on her heal and ran straight towards the elevators jumping onto one just as the doors were closing. As Hermione stood next to the door trying to catch her breath, a hand appeared in front of her holding a cup of water.

"Here Miss, this will help to calm you down."

"Thank you." Hermione replied gratefully, taking the cup of water from the hand and beginning to drink before looking up into the face of the person who had offered it to her, and choked, letting the cup fall to the floor. Lucius Malfoy!

"Careful Miss." Lucius said when he hear he choke on the water. He looked at her face now that it was turned toward him and noticed how magnificent her eyes looked. They were a deep chestnut color and wide with surprise. His eyes then went to her lips which had been pale a moment ago but now were a bright red color and appeared to be very soft. His thoughts were interrupted by her sweet angelic voice.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Yes?" He asked wondering how she could know his name when he didn't know who she was. Again he found himself looking at her lips wishing nothing more than to reach down and tenderly kiss them.

Hermione Lucius's steel cold icy blue eyes staring down on her with a piercing gaze. She shuddered at his gaze and diverted her own eyes to his long blonde hair that was tied back by a black ribbon, keeping his hair from cascading over his shoulders, like it had been when she had first met him in her second year. She shifted her eyes once more but this time she began to trace his jaw line, down his neck, and to his chest which was covered with a loose black silk shirt. She shivered, but not from fright, this time it was because of him and how he was looking at her and not calling her a mudblood like he always had whenever she was near. She once again looked up to his ice blue eyes and couldn't discern what she was seeing, was that a look of lust? It couldn't be, he was Lucius Malfoy, the man who wanted all mudbloods dead.

"Why are you here Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked him trying to forget the thoughts that were starting to form in her mind.

"I am here Miss so that I may collect some of my assets form the Minister." Lucius replied pulling his eyes away from her body and focusing them on hers. He noticed her shiver but her eyes showed that it was not from fear, or being cold.

"How can you look at –" Hermione's words were cut off by Lucius' lips pressing against hers gently and tenderly. She couldn't believe what he was doing but she couldn't keep herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss.

Lucius had surprised himself when he bent down and placed his lips to hers, but even more surprised that she had returned the kiss with her own fiery passion. He quickly grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, making the kiss turn from tender and gentle to rough and passionate. He began to lick and nibble her bottom lip asking for entrance which she granted with a slight moan.

They broke apart quickly, both breathing heavily when they heard the voice of an annoying witch announce that they had reached the floor of the Wizengamot counsel. Hermione quickly stepped off the elevator and started to walk away when she fully realized what she had just done. She spun on her heel and practically yelled the one question that was now burning in her mind.

"Why did you kiss me? I'm just a mudblood." Before she could hear his reply she noticed the time and knew that she was late. She quickly turned on her heel and ran down the hall to the meeting.


	3. A Memory Remembered

_**A Memory Remembered **_

Lucius stood in the elevator watching her retreating form run down the hall while her words echoed in his mind. _Mudblood_? Where had he heard that before? He began to get lost in his thoughts as the elevator doors closed to lead him to the Minister's office. Lucius's mind began to wander from the word she had used to the image of her retreating form, with her hips swaying with every footfall, and the way her hair bounced around in its ponytail. He then remembered how it felt when he had kissed her so passionately and the way she had returned his kissed hungrily. His mind once again switched topics but this time it came to rest on the memory of years ago.

**FLASHBACK**

His hand gripped his wand tightly ready to attack the next person who dared to cross his path. He looked up and saw a mess of bushy brown hair swinging around frantically with bits of dried blood and twigs sticking out of it, the owner apparently to busy to acknowledge his presence, was firing hex after hex at the remaining death eaters.

He moved quickly ready to attack her but saw sleek blonde hair out of the corner of his eye, running to attack her as well. He aimed his wand at the owner of the hair knowing full well that he would not kill, only stun his son long enough to give him the opportunity to kill the filthy _mudblood_.

"Expeliaramus!" He shouted, aiming his wand straight at the wand in his son's hand.

The wand went flying from Draco's grasp, his expression quickly changing from menacing, to complete shock when he noticed who had attacked him. Lucius quickly took the opportunity he had while his son was shocked and stupefied him, only to see a flash of bright green light hit his son soon after being stupefied. He could have sworn that he heard his son say something before her fell, but ignored it as his mind began to race with mixed feelings for his son.

Even though the last few years he had been mad at his son because of his hatred towards mudbloods, (Lucius never really hated mudbloods, except for Granger because she was friends with Potter, he only acted like he did so that he could preserve his pureblood image) he still loved him more than anything. His love for Narcissa was nothing compared to the way he felt for his son, after all is marriage with Narcissa was never from love, it was simply an arranged marriage , but over the years they had become good friends and learned to love each other as brother and sister, not as husband and wife. Draco had always blamed Him for Narcissa's death, even though it was her own fault for running from aurors when they came to question her about the Unbreakable vow she had made with Severus Snape, resulting in her unfortunate death.

He quickly broke from his thoughts when he felt a warm hand fall upon his shoulder. He looked around and noticed that he had fallen to his knees and that Granger was standing beside him with her hand on his shoulder and tears rolling down her cheeks. He figured that she saw what happened, but didn't say anything.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Malfoy," Granger said sympathetically and then added, "I saw who did it if it helps."

Lucius looked at her for only a moment before he replied half-heartedly.

"Who?"

"It was Bellatrix Lestrange"

When Granger said the name he rose from his kneeling position and took on his condescending manor. Only barely realizing that his original plan was to attack her because she was friends with Harry Potter, he fixed her with a steady cold gaze that could have killed, and was surprised to see that she didn't turn and look away. Instead she just stared at him with the same cold hatred he had shown her on a number of occasions.

Quickly realizing that he had dropped his wand when he fell, he retrieved it from the ground and placed it in a pocket of his robes. He then wrapped his cloak tightly around himself blending in with the darkness, gave Hermione one last look, turned, and walked away to avenge his son's death.


	4. Will They Be Returned?

_**Will They be Returned?**_

Lucius Malfoy broke from his thoughts as he heard the familiar yet distant sound of the elevator bell signaling his destination of the Minister's Office. Lucius quickly stepped off and began to make his way down the long corridor leading to the door of the office.

Before Lucius had even crossed the distance halfway to the Minister's Office the Minister's voice was heard coming from beside him making him stop dead in his tracks.

"Hello Lucius, I'm glad that you made your trip safely." The Minister said with a half smile plastered to his face.

"Thank you Minister." Lucius replied sharply while staring down at the Minister with his own unpleasant sneer, wondering where he had come from.

"Yes, well," the Minister seemed to falter over his choice of words.

"Your apparent lack of words is a comforting notion." Lucius continued, his thoughts straining to stay with the conversation. Lucius began to stride once again towards the Minister's office hoping that his movement would set his thoughts right.

"Lucius, we should really talk about who brought you back from Azkaban." The Minister stated while trying to keep up with Lucius's long strides.

The Minister's statement made Lucius stop once again and turn on his heal with a guarded expression replacing the sneer that had been there only a moment before. Lucius's mind began to go back to the letter that he had received saying that he was being let out because things in the Wizarding World had changed and that they were willing to give him another chance.

"I do not wish to talk about this matter here Minister, the only reason I am here is to discuss the return of my belongings to the Malfoy residence." Lucius's hatred for the Minister and the new turn of events was clearly shown through his facial expression.

The Minister took note of Lucius's new expression before he continued to speak.

"Very well then Lucius, let us speak of that then, but in my office." The Minister finished his sentence as if he was suggesting the movement to his office for the first time, completely disregarding the previous notions of Lucius. Lucius stared at the Minister with utter hatred clearly expressed on his face before following him to his office.

The rest of the way down the hall to the Minister's office was silent, except for the ragged harsh breathing of the Minister coming from his effort to keep ahead of Lucius. When the two had reached the office, the door creaked slowly open letting the light from the hall flood into the darkened office. As the Minister stepped into his office he muttered a spell under his breath that made all of the candles in the room ignite. As Lucius walked into the office he heard the door groan and creak as it slowly shut closed with a light and soft click.

As the Minister walked behind his desk and sat in his high backed chair he motioned to the chair in front of his desk. Instead of taking the chair that was offered him, Lucius conjured up another chair with his wand and proceeded to sit in it while giving the Minister a disapproving glance. Once Lucius was seated the Minister began to speak with an almost hesitant and guarded look upon his face.

"I am sorry to have to tell you this Lucius, but it is no longer my decision as to whether you will get your belongings back. Under the circumstances that we happen to be in with the rest of the wizarding world I was forced to overlook your document and hand it to the Wizengamots to decide." The Minister spoke the last line with a sorrowful expression plastered to his face, but his voice betrayed his meaning.

"Minister," Lucius began, "I do not care what the reasons are, or why you even gave MY papers the Wizengamot in the first place, but I will overlook your mistake, and humbly request that you return my belongings to me at once." Lucius spoke his last sentence with a wary, yet angered voice before rising to his feet and vanishing the chair into thin air.

The Minister also rose from his seat so as not to appear weak to Lucius before he spoke again.

"Lucius, I am terribly sorry but there is nothing I can do about it now, the Wizengamot has already come to order as we speak and are deciding the final resting place of your belongings." The Minister appeared some what relieved that Lucius had not hexed him the moment he had finished his statement but still guarded with the knowledge of what he was capable of.

"Very well then Minister, I shall return to my empty manner, now deprived of both belongings, and family, and await the Wizengamots decision." As Lucius spoke his last word he glared at the Minister with disgust before pivoting on his heel and leaving the Minister's office.


	5. Author's Note Read before chp5

This is strictly just an author's note NOT A CHAPTER

This is strictly just an author's note _**NOT A CHAPTER**_. I would firstly like to thank all of the people who have read my story up to this point, and also those who have left me wonderful and extremely uplifting comments. Next I would like to take the time to tell you all that I am currently writing the next chapter and will try to update it as soon as possible. Also to let you know that I am trying to write as fast as I can, with what little time I have to write, to hopefully get through chapter seven before I leave on my trip to Oregon this summer because I don't know how much computer time I will be able to get while there.

Please don't give up hope for this story because it will be continued as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 5

When Hermione reached the Wizengamots room she was astounded to see that the entire room was filled with eager onlookers, as well as what appeared to be the entire office of the Daily Profit. She quietly and calmly took her usual seat and began to scan the contents of the folder that lay on the desk in front of her that contained all of the cases that she was to attend and listen to for the day. She was astonished that she had only been called to attend a single meeting, and, that the meeting held in question pertained a certain Lucius Malfoy.


End file.
